It appears that Saints have gone into a full partnership agreement with Hornets sharing players, coaches and facilities, and a lesser agreement with Whitehaven more along the lines of the current set-up of dual-registration of players.

Time will tell whether it benefits any or non of the parties and whether it strengthens the game or destroys the championship clubs completely.

saints dual with rochdale and whitehaven. imagine the travelling and expenses required to go there a couple of times a week and vice versa, the money needs to come from somewhere? hopefully not the individual players expenses, wont be worth playing if thats the case. theyre on peanuts as it is.

Rochdale will be a much stronger club than they have been in recent years thanks to this partnership. Whats the problem?

Thats an opinion that strikes me as requiring a rather large leap of faith even after you've chosen the extremely limited and convenient timeframe of 'recent years' to measure against.

Whats your opinion of the effect upon York's season of having a lack of continuity in key positions? Do you not think this deal increases the chances of Rochdale having to deal such a lack of continuity?

The statements give the impression that Talbot will remain an employee of St Helens, assuming that is the case what is his primary responsibility, the development and match fitness of sts fringe players or putting the strongest possible Rochdale team out on any given day? For much of the time they will be compatible goals but there will be occasions when they compete.

Thats an opinion that strikes me as requiring a rather large leap of faith even after you've chosen the extremely limited and convenient timeframe of 'recent years' to measure against.

Whats your opinion of the effect upon York's season of having a lack of continuity in key positions? Do you not think this deal increases the chances of Rochdale having to deal such a lack of continuity?

The statements give the impression that Talbot will remain an employee of St Helens, assuming that is the case what is his primary responsibility, the development and match fitness of sts fringe players or putting the strongest possible Rochdale team out on any given day? For much of the time they will be compatible goals but there will be occasions when they compete.

Limited and Convenient? Why is that? Do you think Rochdale were managing just fine as they were? I certainly don't. They failed to finish in the top 4 of the lowest professional division last year for a reason.

Talbot's job as Head Coach of Rochdale will be to build a squad of around 25 players that are capable of winning Championship 1, with the luxury of using up to 5 players from a very strong SuperLeague academy system.

York had awful luck with dual-registered players last season, because they were using the system all wrong. I'm more than happy with this - much more stable - system though.

Not they're not, they're still a club. If they get stronger they can easily call the deal off and go it alone again.

In theory, the Queen can dissolve parliament and rule the country herself. Going it alone after being dependent on St Helens for players and coaches and adding these expenses back on their budget will be very difficult. Bramley never recovered after they left the feeder arrangement they had with Leeds.

Limited and Convenient? Why is that? Do you think Rochdale were managing just fine as they were? I certainly don't. They failed to finish in the top 4 of the lowest professional division last year for a reason.

Talbot's job as Head Coach of Rochdale will be to build a squad of around 25 players that are capable of winning Championship 1, with the luxury of using up to 5 players from a very strong SuperLeague academy system.

York had awful luck with dual-registered players last season, because they were using the system all wrong. I'm more than happy with this - much more stable - system though.

if rochdale move up to championship level, ie promoted and whitehaven stay in that division, will there be a clash of interests. also when reading the article regarding the 'mergers' it states that theres a clear path way to the top, ie championship1-championship-superleague. if rochdale progress and move up then the pathway is prevented.